Headline: Science-Society Platforms - News

In no other policy area is the discrepancy between knowledge and action greater than in the field of sustainability. What can academic institutions do to ensure that scientific insights are translated into action in business, politics and civil society? At the third Global Sustainability Strategy Forum, 35 sustainability experts discussed this question – especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (wpn2030) has published a report with recommendations for the Federal Government on fostering sustainable work. In the report, the authors call for a new understanding of what constitutes "good work" and urge policymakers to use the German Sustainable Development Strategy as a framework to promote sustainable work.

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, health is receiving unprecedented public and political attention. Yet the fact that climate change also presents us with a health crisis deserves further recognition. A new IASS Policy Brief gives recommendations for integrating health and climate and achieving better outcomes in both arenas.

How can science and business help build sustainable societies? This question took centre-stage at the second Global Sustainability Strategy Forum, held on 22 – 24 March 2020. The event did not take place in Bangkok as previously planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, 25 leading experts from business and sustainability science came together online to discuss how the two sectors could work together more effectively.

Just five weeks after the UK formally left the European Union, a shared learning event organised by the IASS and the Welsh Government on 5 March in Berlin showed that the desire for Welsh-German cooperation in the area of sustainability is unwavering. A summary of the day in texts and videos.

The Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (wpn2030) started the New Year with a new management team. Daniela Jacob, Director of the Climate Service Center Germany and Chairperson of the German Committee Future Earth (DKN Future Earth), and Christa Liedtke, Director of the Sustainable Production and Consumption department at the Wuppertal Institute, Professor at the Folkwang University of the Arts, and member of the Steering Committee of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Germany, have joined IASS Director Patrizia Nanz at the helm of the Platform.

How effective is Germany's sustainability policy and how could the Sustainable Development Strategy better support it? The Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (SPS2030) has grappled with these questions since it was established in 2017. At its first annual conference in Berlin (5–6 December, Umweltforum), the platform presented its initial response in a wide-ranging reflection paper.

Taking place in Madrid from 2 to 13 December, the 25th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) will focus on the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) will be represented in Madrid by a number of experts, who will address a range of issues.

The Platform for Sustainability in Brandenburg provides a forum for discussion and networking opportunities for sustainable development initiatives from across the state. Following the launch of its new website – https://plattform-bb.de/ – regional initiatives, organisations and institutions are invited to register with the platform and explore opportunities to collaborate for a more sustainable Brandenburg.

From 23 – 25 September 2019, heads of government from around the world will convene at the United Nations’ General Assembly to discuss efforts to advance climate action and global sustainable development. The summit aims to boost national ambitions to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement and will review the implementation of measures relating to the Sustainable Development Goals. The relationship between air pollution and climate change plays an important role in this context, and is the subject of a new IASS Policy Brief titled “A Practical Approach to Integrating Climate and Air Quality Policy”.

At its most recent meeting, the steering group of the platform “Sustainable Development in Brandenburg” adopted a list of demands aimed at the parties currently negotiating to form a new state government. The platform calls on the parties to prioritize climate protection and sustainability and to extend the platform’s mandate into the coming legislative term.

How can scientific insights be integrated more effectively into society? This year’s Potsdam Summer School (PSS) will explore the role of science communication from 20 to 29 August. In what ways and via which channels can topics related to sustainability and global change be effectively communicated?